Amid the Sailfest vendors hawking jewelry, Ecuadoran imports, handmade soaps and all manner of edibles, one booth offered perhaps the most exotic item to be found at the fair: small marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia known as sugar gliders or sugar bears.

As if it weren't enough to be running in sweltering heat approaching 80 degrees Sunday morning at the annual Sailfest Charter Oak Federal Credit Union 5K Road Race, Julie Cusack of Groton took on the extra challenge of pushing a carriage carrying 6-year-old daughter Millie and 3-year-old son Patrick.

At the unified area command center at the fire headquarters on Bank Street, a team prepared for Sailfest coordinating the behind-the-scenes details to make sure the event would run as smoothly and safely as possible.

Downtown New London early on a Sailfest Saturday, is an interesting prelude. The festivities didn’t officially open until 10 a.m., but Waterfront Park, closed off sections of Bank and State streets, the public parking lot on Eugene O’Neill – hosting the Doolan Amusements carnival – were all humming with preparatory rituals. Click on the story to see a time-lapse video of Sailfest set up on Waterfront Park.

theday.com will host a Sailfest livestream event of the Mashantucket Pequot fireworks Saturday evening. Coverage will begin at 9:10 p.m. Find our complete coverage at theday.com/sailfest and join in our coverage on Twitter with your photos of the event by using #Sailfest.

Tune into theday.com on Saturday night to catch our Sailfest live stream of the Mashantucket Pequot Fireworks Extravaganza with hosts Rick Koster and Kathleen Edgecomb. Musical selections from the U.S. Coast Guard Band will accompany the fireworks show. Our live coverage will begin at 9:10 p.m.

Nearly 300,000 visitors are expected for this weekend's Sailfest. The message from New London fire and police officials and festival organizers is have fun, be diligent but, most important, be patient.